JHotDraw

JHotDraw is a programming toolkit developed specifically for helping you design different editors starting with simple doodle applications up to complex and full-featured diagram editors and vector animation utilities. It is created with the help of the Java programming language.

It is able to define a Java framework for structured drawing editors and document-oriented tools, while the two frameworks can work independently of each other.

JHotDraw comes bundled with mini examples and some sample programs included in the package so you can quickly get an idea about how to make the most out of its capabilities.

The mini examples consist only of a single Java class, while the executable JAR files can be used in order to learn how to build a complete application or applet using JHotDraw.

The executable files are portable which means you can run them without having to go through an installation process. You may also keep them stored on pen drives or other portable devices so you can carry them with you.

JHotDraw also comprises a ‘JHotDraw7’ folder in the toolkit which is a NetBeans project. In case you have the NetBeans IDE on your computer, you may open this directory as a project (you may need to fix dependencies).

One of the utilities included in the package is called JHotDraw Draw and works as a universal drawing editor. It is suitable for generating simple diagrams and illustrations.

You are allowed to insert all sorts of shapes, such as rectangles, rounded rectangles, ellipses, diamonds, arrows, triangles, and lines. Plus, you can employ connection lines, draw free-hand designs, add polygons, and embed custom text messages, text boxes, and images.

What’s more, you can fill in areas with different colors, adjust the color of the lines and text, alter the font of the text, align objects, move items to the desired position in the workspace using drag-and-drop actions, undo or redo your actions, duplicate or delete objects, perform basic clipboard tasks (cut, copy, paste), as well as export the information to XML file format.

To sum things up, JHotDraw proves to be a reliable and handy two-dimensional graphics framework for structured drawing editors, and is suitable especially for advanced users.